Executing Multiple Instructions Multiple Data (‘MIMD’) programs on a Single Instruction Multiple Data (‘SIMD’) machine

ABSTRACT

Executing Multiple Instructions Multiple Data (‘MIMD’) programs on a Single Instruction Multiple Data (‘SIMD’) machine, the SIMD machine including a plurality of compute nodes, each compute node capable of executing only a single thread of execution, the compute nodes initially configured exclusively for SIMD operations, the SIMD machine further comprising a data communications network, the network comprising synchronous data communications links among the compute nodes, including establishing a SIMD partition comprising a plurality of the compute nodes; booting the SIMD partition in MIMD mode; executing by launcher programs a plurality of MIMD programs on compute nodes in the SIMD partition; and re-executing a launcher program by an operating system on a compute node in the SIMD partition upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The field of the invention is data processing, or, more specifically, methods, apparatus, and products for executing Multiple Instructions Multiple Data (‘MIMD’) programs on a Single Instruction Multiple Data (‘SIMD’) machine.

2. Description of Related Art

The development of the EDVAC computer system of 1948 is often cited as the beginning of the computer era. Since that time, computer systems have evolved into extremely complicated devices. Today's computers are much more sophisticated than early systems such as the EDVAC. Computer systems typically include a combination of hardware and software components, application programs, operating systems, processors, buses, memory, input/output devices, and so on. As advances in semiconductor processing and computer architecture push the performance of the computer higher and higher, more sophisticated computer software has evolved to take advantage of the higher performance of the hardware, resulting in computer systems today that are much more powerful than just a few years ago.

Parallel computing is an area of computer technology that has experienced advances. Parallel computing is the simultaneous execution of the same task (split up and specially adapted) on multiple processors in order to obtain results faster. Parallel computing is based on the fact that the process of solving a problem usually can be divided into smaller tasks, which may be carried out simultaneously with some coordination. Parallel computing may be implemented in architectures optimized to execute in a mode of ‘Single Instruction, Multiple Data’ (‘SIMD’) or in a mode of ‘Multiple Instruction, Multiple Data’ (‘MIMD’). This exact terminology, SIMD and MIMD, is from the well-known Flynn's taxonomy, a classification of computer architectures first described by Michael J. Flynn in 1966.

A MIMD machine is a computer in which multiple autonomous processors simultaneously execute different instructions on different data. Distributed systems are generally recognized to be MIMD architectures—either exploiting a single shared memory space or a distributed memory space. Many common computer applications are implemented with MIMD architectures, including, for example, most accounting programs, word processors, spreadsheets, database managers, browsers, web applications, other data communications programs, and so on.

A SIMD machine is a computer that exploits multiple data streams against a single instruction stream to perform operations which may be naturally parallelized. SIMD machines are ubiquitous on a small scale, in digital speech processors, graphics processors, and the like. In addition, however, SIMD machines also make up the largest, most powerful computers in the world. The BlueGene/L computer architecture, for example, is implemented with a SIMD architecture. BlueGene/L installations represent nine of the twenty-five most powerful computer installations in the world—according to a current listing of the top 500 supercomputer sites published by the TOP500 Project. In fact, most, if not all, of the most powerful computers in the world today are SIMD machines.

SIMD machines execute parallel algorithms, typically including collective operations. A parallel algorithm can be split up to be executed a piece at a time on many different processing devices, and then put back together again at the end to get a data processing result. Some algorithms are easy to divide up into pieces. Splitting up the job of checking all of the numbers from one to a hundred thousand to see which are primes could be done, for example, by assigning a subset of the numbers to each available processor, and then putting the list of positive results back together. In this specification, the multiple processing devices that execute the individual pieces of a parallel program are referred to as ‘compute nodes.’ A SIMD machine is composed of compute nodes and other processing nodes as well, including, for example, input/output (‘i/o’) nodes, and service nodes.

Parallel algorithms are designed also to optimize the data communications requirements among the nodes of a SIMD machine. There are two ways parallel processors communicate, shared memory or message passing. Shared memory processing needs additional locking technology for the data and imposes the overhead of additional processor and bus cycles and also serializes some portion of the algorithm. Message passing processing uses high-speed data communications networks and message buffers, but this communication adds transfer overhead on the data communications networks as well as additional memory need for message buffers and latency in the data communications among nodes. Designs of SIMD machines use specially designed data communications links so that the communication overhead will be small but it is the parallel algorithm that decides the volume of the traffic.

The large aggregation of data processing power represented by massively parallel SIMD machines is extremely attractive to MIMD applications. The BlueGene/L architecture produces many teraflops per rack, has a large memory footprint, and low power consumption—all features which would make it very useful if MIMD programs could be run on it. MIMD operations, however, require a model that allows for independent programs on each compute. Today the hardware and software for such SIMD machines are designed only to support applications based on cooperating nodes, purely parallel SIMD applications. Specialized memory sharing and data communications technology in SIMD machines, which make the SIMD machines so powerful, render such SIMD machines useless for MIMD applications. In the BlueGene example, a processing error on one node of a partition immediately terminates all data processing operations on every compute node in the partition—a necessary requirement when all the compute nodes are running the same SIMD application—but a disaster for MIMD operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Methods, apparatus, and computer program products are disclosed for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine, the SIMD machine including a plurality of compute nodes, each compute node capable of executing only a single thread of execution, the compute nodes initially configured exclusively for SIMD operations, the SIMD machine further comprising a data communications network, the network comprising synchronous data communications links among the compute nodes, including establishing a SIMD partition comprising a plurality of the compute nodes, the compute nodes in the SIMD partition electronically isolated from compute nodes in other partitions of the SIMD machine and coupled to one another through links of the network for synchronous data communications for parallel SIMD operations among the compute nodes in the SIMD partition; booting the SIMD partition in MIMD mode, including: setting, in operating systems on the compute nodes of the SIMD partition, flags indicating MIMD operation; loading onto the compute nodes of the SIMD partition a launcher program; initializing with link training synchronous data communications among links of the network among compute nodes in the SIMD partition; initializing, with a parallel processing barrier, parallel operations among the compute nodes of the SIMD partition, and executing a launcher program on each compute node in the SIMD partition; executing by launcher programs a plurality of MIMD programs on two or more of the compute nodes in the SIMD partition, including replacing the launcher programs with the MIMD programs in process address space in computer memory of the compute nodes, each MIMD program autonomously executing different instructions on different data; and re-executing a launcher program by an operating system on a compute node in the SIMD partition upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers generally represent like parts of exemplary embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 sets forth a block diagram of an exemplary compute node useful in executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary Point To Point Adapter useful in systems that execute MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary Collective Operations Adapter useful in systems that execute MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary data communications network optimized for point to point operations, useful in systems that executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary data communications network optimized for collective operations, useful in systems that executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine.

FIG. 6 sets forth a functional block diagram illustrating an exemplary system for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 sets forth a functional block diagram illustrating a further exemplary system for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 sets forth a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 9 sets forth a flow chart illustrating a further exemplary method of executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 10 sets forth a flow chart illustrating a further exemplary method of executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary methods, apparatus, and computer program products for executing Multiple Instructions Multiple Data (‘MIMD’) programs on a Single Instruction Multiple Data (‘SIMD’) machine according to embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, beginning with FIG. 1. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention. The system of FIG. 1 includes a SIMD machine (100), a computer configured for exclusively parallel, collective operations. The system of FIG. 1 also includes non-volatile memory for the SIMD machine in the form of data storage device (118), an output device for the SIMD machine in the form of printer (120), and an input/output (‘i/o’) device for the SIMD machine in the form of computer terminal (122). The SIMD machine (100) in the example of FIG. 1 includes a plurality of compute nodes (102), each of which is capable of executing only a singe thread of execution.

The compute nodes (102) are coupled for data communications by several independent data communications networks including:

-   -   a high speed Ethernet network (174) that connects peripherals         through i/o node to compute nodes,     -   a Joint Test Action Group (‘JTAG’) network (104) for out of band         signaling between service nodes, i/o nodes, and compute nodes,     -   a synchronous collective network (106) in which each compute         node connects in a tree structure to three neighboring compute         nodes, with the collective network optimized for massively         parallel collective operations among compute nodes,     -   a synchronous point-to-point network (108), optimized for point         to point operations among compute nodes, in which each compute         node connects in a torus to six neighboring compute nodes         through which each node in the torus can communicate directly or         indirectly with every other compute node in the torus, and     -   a barrier network (109) connecting all compute nodes in an         independent network in which each compute node can signal to all         other compute nodes processing arrival at a parallel processing         barrier, halting further processing until all nodes have         reported arrival at the barrier.

Each data communications network is implemented with data communications links among the compute nodes (102). The data communications links provide data communications for parallel operations among the compute nodes of the SIMD machine. Point-to-point network (108) is a synchronous data communications network that includes synchronous data communications links connected among the compute nodes so as to organize the compute nodes in a mesh or torus. Collective network (106) is a synchronous data communications network that includes synchronous data communications links connected among the compute nodes so as to organize the compute nodes in a tree structure.

The compute nodes may be organized in one or more SIMD partitions (133), or the SIMD machine may be booted without partitions, so that all the compute nodes in the SIMD machine operate as one large operational group for parallel, collective operations on SIMD programs. A SIMD partition is an operational group of compute nodes for collective parallel operations on a SIMD machine (100). A SIMD partition is a set of compute nodes upon which parallel collective operations of a SIMD application execute. Such a SIMD partition may include all the compute nodes in a SIMD machine (100) or a subset all the compute nodes. The compute nodes in a SIMD partition are electronically isolated from compute nodes in other partitions of the SIMD machine. The compute nodes in a SIMD partition are coupled to one another through links of at least one network for synchronous data communications for parallel SIMD operations among the compute nodes in the SIMD partition.

Such collective operations are implemented with data communications among the compute nodes of a SIMD partition. Collective operations are those functions that involve all the compute nodes of an operational group in parallel operations. A collective operation is an operation, a message-passing computer program instruction that is executed synchronously, that is, at approximately the same time, by all the compute nodes in a SIMD partition. Such synchronous operations are supported by synchronous data communications networks and parallel processing barriers. Parallel collective operations can be implemented with point to point operations. A collective operation requires that all processes on all compute nodes within a SIMD partition call the same collective operation with matching arguments. A ‘broadcast’ is an example of a collective operations for moving data among compute nodes of a SIMD partition. A ‘reduce’ operation is an example of a collective operation that executes arithmetic or logical functions on data distributed among the compute nodes of a SIMD partition. A SIMD partition may be implemented as, for example, an MPI ‘communicator.’

‘MPI’ refers to ‘Message Passing Interface,’ a parallel communications library, a module of computer program instructions for data communications on parallel computers. Examples of parallel communications libraries that may be useful or may be improved to be useful for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention include MPI and the ‘Parallel Virtual Machine’ (‘PVM’) library. PVM was developed by the University of Tennessee, The Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Emory University. MPI is promulgated by the MPI Forum, an open group with representatives from many organizations that define and maintain the MPI standard. MPI at the time of this writing is a de facto standard for communication among compute nodes running a parallel program on a distributed memory parallel computer. This specification sometimes uses MPI terminology for ease of explanation, although the use of MPI as such is not a requirement or limitation of the present invention.

Most collective operations are variations or combinations of four basic operations: broadcast, gather, scatter, and reduce. In a broadcast operation, all processes specify the same root process, whose buffer contents will be sent. Processes other than the root specify receive buffers. After the operation, all buffers contain the message from the root process.

A scatter operation, like the broadcast operation, is also a one-to-many collective operation. All processes specify the same receive count. The send arguments are only significant to the root process, whose buffer actually contains sendcount*N elements of a given datatype, where N is the number of processes in the given SIMD partition. The send buffer will be divided equally and dispersed to all processes (including itself). Each compute node in the SIMD partition is assigned a sequential identifier termed a ‘rank.’ After the operation, the root has sent sendcount data elements to each process in increasing rank order. Rank 0 receives the first sendcount data elements from the send buffer. Rank 1 receives the second sendcount data elements from the send buffer, and so on.

A gather operation is a many-to-one collective operation that is a complete reverse of the description of the scatter operation. That is, a gather is a many-to-one collective operation in which elements of a datatype are gathered from the ranked compute nodes into a receive buffer in a root node.

A reduce operation is also a many-to-one collective operation that includes an arithmetic or logical function performed on two data elements. All processes specify the same ‘count’ and the same arithmetic or logical function. After the reduction, all processes have sent count data elements from computer node send buffers to the root process. In a reduction operation, data elements from corresponding send buffer locations are combined pair-wise by arithmetic or logical operations to yield a single corresponding element in the root process's receive buffer. Application specific reduction operations can be defined at runtime. Parallel communications libraries may support predefined operations. MPI, for example, provides the following pre-defined reduction operations:

MPI_MAX maximum MPI_MIN minimum MPI_SUM sum MPI_PROD product MPI_LAND logical and MPI_BAND bitwise and MPI_LOR logical or MPI_BOR bitwise or MPI_LXOR logical exclusive or MPI_BXOR bitwise exclusive or

In addition to compute nodes, SIMD machine (100) includes input/output (‘I/O’) nodes (110, 114) coupled to compute nodes (102) through one of the data communications networks (174). The I/O nodes (110, 114) provide I/O services between compute nodes (102) and I/O devices (118, 120, 122). I/O nodes (110, 114) are connected for data communications I/O devices (118, 120, 122) through local area network (‘LAN’) (130).

The SIMD machine (100) also includes a service node (116) coupled to the compute nodes through one of the networks (104). Service node (116) provides services common to pluralities of compute nodes, loading programs into the compute nodes, starting program execution on the compute nodes, retrieving results of program operations on the computer nodes, and so on. Service node (116) runs service applications (143) and communicates with users (128) through a service application interface (126) that runs on computer terminal (122). Service applications (143) that execute on the service node (116) include:

-   -   a control application (124), which is a module of computer         program instructions that boots partitions, loads launcher         programs onto compute nodes in SIMD partitions booted in MIMD         mode, and administers error conditions detected on compute         nodes,     -   a scheduler (140), which is a module of computer program         instructions that schedules data processing jobs on the SIMD         machine, including installing SIMD programs on compute nodes and         passing MIMD jobs along to a MIMD dispatcher for installation on         SIMD partitions booted in MIMD mode; and     -   a MIMD dispatcher (139), which is a module of computer program         instructions that installs MIMD programs on compute nodes in         SIMD partitions booted in MIMD mode.

In the example of FIG. 1, all the compute nodes (102) are initially configured exclusively for SIMD operations, and the system of FIG. 1 operates generally to execute MIMD programs (158) on a SIMD machine (100) according to embodiments of the present invention by establishing a SIMD partition (133) comprising a plurality of the compute nodes (102); booting the SIMD partition (133) in MIMD mode; executing by launcher programs (135) a plurality of MIMD programs (158) on two or more of the compute nodes (102) in the SIMD partition (133); and re-executing a launcher program (135) by an operating system on a compute node in the SIMD partition upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program. Each MIMD program (158) is a module of computer program instructions that autonomously executes different instructions on different data. That is, each MIMD program has computer program instructions that typically are not the same instructions executed by other MIMD programs, and each MIMD program operates on data that typically is not the same data processed by other MIMD programs. Booting the SIMD partition (133) in MIMD mode includes setting, in operating systems on the compute nodes of the SIMD partition, flags indicating MIMD operation; loading onto the compute nodes of the SIMD partition a launcher program; initializing with link training synchronous data communications among links of the network among compute nodes in the SIMD partition; initializing, with a parallel processing barrier, parallel operations among the compute nodes of the SIMD partition; and executing a launcher program on each compute node in the SIMD partition.

A launcher program (135) is a module of computer program instructions that runs on a compute node in a SIMD partition booted in MIMD mode, receives from a MIMD dispatcher a name of a MIMD program, and executes the MIMD program on the compute node. A launcher program may be implemented, for example, as illustrated by these computer program instructions:

launcher(dispatcherNetworkAddress) {   socketID = socket( );   connect(socketID, dispatcherNetworkAddress);   read(socketID, MIMDProgramName);   close(socketID);   exec(MIMDProgramName); }

This example launcher program is ‘pseudocode,’ an explanation set forth in code form, not an actual working model. As shown in this example, the launcher programs typically use a Unix-like exec( ) function to execute MIMD programs, so that executing MIMD programs replaces the launcher program with the MIMD program in process address space in computer memory of the compute node. Each compute node operates single-threaded, with only one thread of execution on the node. When a launcher program executes a MIMD program, the MIMD program, as a new thread of execution on a compute node that only supports one thread of execution, is written over the launcher program in the compute node's process address space, wiping out the launcher program. The operating system on the compute node therefore re-executes a launcher program on the compute node in the SIMD partition upon termination of the MIMD program earlier executed by a launcher program.

The arrangement of nodes, networks, and I/O devices making up the exemplary system illustrated in FIG. 1 are for explanation only, not for limitation of the present invention. Data processing systems capable of executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention may include additional nodes, networks, devices, and architectures, not shown in FIG. 1, as will occur to those of skill in the art. The SIMD machine (100) in the example of FIG. 1 includes sixteen compute nodes (102)—whereas SIMD machines capable of executing MIMD programs according to embodiments of the present invention sometimes include thousands of compute nodes. In addition to Ethernet and JTAG, networks in such data processing systems may support many data communications protocols including for example TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), IP (Internet Protocol), and others as will occur to those of skill in the art. Various embodiments of the present invention may be implemented on a variety of hardware platforms in addition to those illustrated in FIG. 1.

Executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention is generally implemented on a parallel computer that includes a plurality of compute nodes. In fact, such computers may include thousands of such compute nodes. Each compute node is in turn itself a kind of computer composed of one or more computer processors, its own computer memory, and its own input/output adapters. For further explanation, therefore, FIG. 2 sets forth a block diagram of an exemplary compute node useful for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention. The compute node (152) of FIG. 2 includes at least one computer processor (164) as well as random access memory (‘RAM’) (156). Processor (164) is connected to RAM (156) through a high-speed memory bus (154) and to other components of the compute node through a bus adapter (194) and an extension bus (168).

Stored in RAM (156) is a parallel communications library (160), a library of computer program instructions that carry out parallel communications among compute nodes, including point to point operations as well as collective operations.

Application program (158) executes collective operations by calling software routines in parallel communications library (160). A library of parallel communications routines may be developed from scratch for use in executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention, using a traditional programming language such as the C programming language, and using traditional programming methods to write parallel communications routines that send and receive data among nodes on two independent data communications networks. Alternatively, existing prior art libraries may be used. Examples of parallel communications libraries that may be used or improved for use in executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention include the ‘Message Passing Interface’ (‘MPI’) library and the ‘Parallel Virtual Machine’ (‘PVM’) library.

Also stored in RAM (156) is an operating system (162), a module of computer program instructions and routines for an application program's access to other resources of the compute node. It is typical for an application program and parallel communications library in a compute node of a SIMD machine to run a single thread of execution with no user login and no security issues because the thread is entitled to complete access to all resources of the node. The quantity and complexity of tasks to be performed by an operating system on a compute node in a SIMD machine therefore are smaller and less complex than those of an operating system on a serial computer with many threads running simultaneously. In addition, there is no video I/O on the compute node (152) of FIG. 2, another factor that decreases the demands on the operating system. The operating system may therefore be quite lightweight by comparison with operating systems of general purpose computers, a pared down version as it were, or an operating system developed specifically for operations on a particular SIMD machine. Operating systems that may usefully be improved, simplified, for use in a compute node for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine include UNIX™, Linux™, Microsoft XP™, AIX™, IBM's i5/OS™, and others as will occur to those of skill in the art.

Also stored in RAM (156) is a MIMD program (158), a module of computer program instructions that implements multiple-instruction, multiple data processing. Also stored in RAM is a launcher program (135), a module of computer program instructions that runs on the compute node (152) in a SIMD partition booted in MIMD mode, receives from a MIMD dispatcher a name of a MIMD program (158), and executes the MIMD program (158) on the compute node (152). The launcher program (135) in this example is shown disposed in the RAM space of the operating system (162), presumably having executed the MIMD program (158), which is shown here disposed in process address space (134), having wiped the launcher program out of the process address space (134) when the launcher program executed the MIMD program.

Also stored in RAM (156) is a MIMD flag (136), a Boolean data element which when set to TRUE advises the operating system that the compute node is running in MIMD mode, so that upon termination of the MIMD program, the operating system, rather than terminating its own operations as it would do if it were operating in purely SIMD mode, now re-executes the launcher program (135). And the compute node operates generally as follows:

-   -   the launcher program connects to a dispatcher,     -   the launcher programs receives a MIMD program name from the         dispatcher,     -   the launcher program executes the MIMD program when provided         with the program name, installing the MIMD program in process         address space in RAM and wiping out the launcher program,     -   the operating system re-executes the launcher program upon         termination of the MIMD program,     -   and so on, repeating indefinitely.

The MIMD flag advises the operating system to reload the launcher program when the MIMD program exits—without notifying the control application (124 on FIG. 1) of the exit. In effect, compared to SIMD operations, the MIMD mode compute node never exits. It just reloads the launcher program and waits for another MIMD program name to execute.

Also stored in RAM (156) is a reboot flag (137), a Boolean data element which when set to TRUE advises the operating system (162) that a current boot of the operating system is a reboot, that is, that the compute node has already been booted at least once before as part of a SIMD partition booted in MIMD mode. Remember that the overall undertaking here is executing a MIMD program on a SIMD machine where, in fact, the SIMD machine remains a SIMD machine. In its inception, therefore, a boot of a SIMD partition in MIMD mode is still a boot of a SIMD partition. The boot process is modified by inclusion of a launcher program, a MIMD flag, a reboot flag, and so on, but the underlying process is a SIMD boot. The original boot, therefore, includes SIMD-type functions that are not needed on a reboot. Examples of such SIMD-type functions include initializing with link training synchronous data communications among links of the network among compute nodes in the SIMD partition and initializing, with a parallel processing barrier, parallel operations among the compute nodes of the SIMD partition. Such SIMD-type functions are not needed on a reboot because, for example, the data communications links are already trained for synchronous operation, and there is no need to initialize parallel processing with a parallel processing barrier because, at the time of a reboot, there is no longer any parallel processing in the SIMD partition booted in MIMD mode. The operating system (162), advised to do so by a reboot flag (137) set to TRUE, upon a reboot, omits from the boot process the initializing of synchronous data communications on the network with link training and the initializing of parallel operations among the compute nodes with a parallel processing barrier.

The exemplary compute node (152) of FIG. 2 includes several communications adapters (172, 176, 180, 188) for implementing data communications with other nodes of a SIMD machine. Such data communications may be carried out serially through RS-232 connections, through external buses such as USB, through data communications networks such as IP networks, and in other ways as will occur to those of skill in the art. Communications adapters implement the hardware level of data communications through which one computer sends data communications to another computer, directly or through a network. Examples of communications adapters useful in systems that execute MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention include modems for wired communications, Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) adapters for wired network communications, and 802.11b adapters for wireless network communications.

The data communications adapters in the example of FIG. 2 include a Gigabit Ethernet adapter (172) that couples example compute node (152) for data communications to a Gigabit Ethernet (174). Gigabit Ethernet is a network transmission standard, defined in the IEEE 802.3 standard, that provides a data rate of 1 billion bits per second (one gigabit). Gigabit Ethernet is a variant of Ethernet that operates over multimode fiber optic cable, single mode fiber optic cable, or unshielded twisted pair.

The data communications adapters in the example of FIG. 2 includes a JTAG Slave circuit (176) that couples example compute node (152) for data communications to a JTAG Master circuit (178). JTAG is the usual name used for the IEEE 1149.1 standard entitled Standard Test Access Port and Boundary-Scan Architecture for test access ports used for testing printed circuit boards using boundary scan. JTAG is so widely adapted that, at this time, boundary scan is more or less synonymous with JTAG. JTAG is used not only for printed circuit boards, but also for conducting boundary scans of integrated circuits, and is also useful as a mechanism for debugging embedded systems, providing a convenient “back door” into the system. The example compute node of FIG. 2 may be all three of these: It typically includes one or more integrated circuits installed on a printed circuit board and may be implemented as an embedded system having its own processor, its own memory, and its own I/O capability. JTAG boundary scans through JTAG Slave (176) may efficiently configure processor registers and memory in compute node (152) for use in executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention.

The data communications adapters in the example of FIG. 2 includes a Point To Point Adapter (180) that couples example compute node (152) for data communications to a network (108) that is optimal for point to point message passing operations such as, for example, a network configured as a three-dimensional torus or mesh. Point To Point Adapter (180) provides data communications in six directions on three communications axes, x, y, and z, through six bidirectional links: +x (181), −x (182), +y (183), −y (184), +z (185), and −z (186).

The data communications adapters in the example of FIG. 2 includes a Collective Operations Adapter (188) that couples example compute node (152) for data communications to a network (106) that is optimal for collective message passing operations such as, for example, a network configured as a binary tree. Collective Operations Adapter (188) provides data communications through three bidirectional links: two to children nodes (190) and one to a parent node (192).

Example compute node (152) includes two arithmetic logic units (‘ALUs’). ALU (166) is a component of processor (164), and a separate ALU (170) is dedicated to the exclusive use of collective operations adapter (188) for use in performing the arithmetic and logical functions of reduction operations. Computer program instructions of a reduction routine in parallel communications library (160) may latch an instruction for an arithmetic or logical function into instruction register (169). When the arithmetic or logical function of a reduction operation is a ‘sum’ or a ‘logical or,’ for example, collective operations adapter (188) may execute the arithmetic or logical operation by use of ALU (166) in processor (164) or, typically much faster, by use of dedicated ALU (170).

For further explanation, FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary Point To Point Adapter (180) useful in systems that execute MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention. Point To Point Adapter (180) is designed for use in a data communications network optimized for point to point operations, a network that organizes compute nodes in a three-dimensional torus or mesh. Point To Point Adapter (180) in the example of FIG. 3A provides data communication along an x-axis through four unidirectional data communications links, to and from the next node in the −x direction (182) and to and from the next node in the +x direction (181). Point To Point Adapter (180) also provides data communication along a y-axis through four unidirectional data communications links, to and from the next node in the −y direction (184) and to and from the next node in the +y direction (183). Point To Point Adapter (180) in also provides data communication along a z-axis through four unidirectional data communications links, to and from the next node in the −z direction (186) and to and from the next node in the +z direction (185).

For further explanation, FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary Collective Operations Adapter (188) useful in systems that execute MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention. Collective Operations Adapter (188) is designed for use in a network optimized for collective operations, a network that organizes compute nodes of a SIMD machine in a binary tree. Collective Operations Adapter (188) in the example of FIG. 3B provides data communication to and from two children nodes through four unidirectional data communications links (190). Collective Operations Adapter (188) also provides data communication to and from a parent node through two unidirectional data communications links (192).

For further explanation, FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary data communications network optimized for point to point operations (106). In the example of FIG. 4, dots represent compute nodes (102) of a SIMD machine, and the dotted lines between the dots represent data communications links (103) between compute nodes. The data communications links are implemented with point to point data communications adapters similar to the one illustrated for example in FIG. 3A, with data communications links on three axes, x, y, and z, and to and fro in six directions +x (181), −x (182), +y (183), −y (184), +z (185), and −z (186). The links and compute nodes are organized by this data communications network optimized for point to point operations into a three dimensional mesh (105) that wraps around to form a torus (107). Each compute node in the torus has a location in the torus that is uniquely specified by a set of x, y, z coordinates. For clarity of explanation, the data communications network of FIG. 4 is illustrated with only 27 compute nodes, but readers will recognize that a data communications network optimized for point to point operations for use in executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may contain only a few compute nodes or may contain thousands of compute nodes.

For further explanation, FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary data communications network (108) optimized for collective operations by organizing compute nodes in a tree. The example data communications network of FIG. 5 includes data communications links connected to the compute nodes so as to organize the compute nodes as a tree. In the example of FIG. 5, dots represent compute nodes (102) of a SIMD machine, and the dotted lines (103) between the dots represent data communications links between compute nodes. The data communications links are implemented with collective operations data communications adapters similar to the one illustrated for example in FIG. 3B, with each node typically providing data communications to and from two children nodes and data communications to and from a parent node, with some exceptions. Nodes in a binary tree may be characterized as a root node (202), branch nodes (204), and leaf nodes (206). The root node (202) has two children but no parent. The leaf nodes (206) each has a parent, but leaf nodes have no children. The branch nodes (204) each has both a parent and two children. The links and compute nodes are thereby organized by this data communications network optimized for collective operations into a binary tree (108). For clarity of explanation, the data communications network of FIG. 5 is illustrated with only 31 compute nodes, but readers will recognize that a data communications network optimized for collective operations for use in executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may contain only a few compute nodes or may contain thousands of compute nodes.

In the example of FIG. 5, each node in the tree is assigned a unit identifier referred to as a ‘rank’ (250). A node's rank uniquely identifies the node's location in the tree network for use in both point to point and collective operations in the tree network. The ranks in this example are assigned as integers beginning with 0 assigned to the root node (202), 1 assigned to the first node in the second layer of the tree, 2 assigned to the second node in the second layer of the tree, 3 assigned to the first node in the third layer of the tree, 4 assigned to the second node in the third layer of the tree, and so on. For ease of illustration, only the ranks of the first three layers of the tree are shown here, but all compute nodes in the tree network are assigned a unique rank.

For further explanation, FIG. 6 sets forth a functional block diagram illustrating an exemplary system for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention. The system of FIG. 6 operates generally to execute MIMD programs (158) on a SIMD machine (100) according to embodiments of the present invention by booting the SIMD machine (100) in MIMD mode; executing by launcher programs (135) a plurality of MIMD programs (158) on two or more of the compute nodes (102) on the SIMD machine (100); and re-executing a launcher program (135) by an operating system on a compute node upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program. Booting the SIMD machine (100) in MIMD mode includes setting, in operating systems on the compute nodes of the SIMD machine, flags indicating MIMD operation; loading onto the compute nodes of the SIMD machine a launcher program (135); initializing with link training synchronous data communications among links of the network among compute nodes in the SIMD machine; initializing, with a parallel processing barrier, parallel operations among the compute nodes of the SIMD machine; and executing a launcher program on each compute node in the SIMD machine.

The compute nodes (102) are coupled for data communications by several independent data communications networks including a high speed Ethernet network (174), a Joint Test Action Group (‘JTAG’) network (104), a collective network (106) which is optimized for collective operations, a point-to-point network (108) which is optimized for point to point operations among compute nodes, and a barrier network (109) which is optimized for execution of parallel processing barriers. Each data communications network is implemented with data communications links among the compute nodes (102). The data communications links provide data communications for parallel operations among the compute nodes of the SIMD machine. Point-to-point network (108) is a synchronous data communications network that includes synchronous data communications links connected among the compute nodes so as to organize the compute nodes in a mesh or torus. Collective network (106) is a synchronous data communications network that includes synchronous data communications links connected among the compute nodes so as to organize the compute nodes in a tree structure.

The SIMD machine (100) includes a service node (116) coupled to the compute nodes through the JTAG network (104). Service node (116) provides services common to pluralities of compute nodes, loading programs into the compute nodes, starting program execution on the compute nodes, retrieving results of program operations on the computer nodes, and so on. Service node (116) runs service applications (143) and communicates with users (128) through a service application interface (126) that runs on computer terminal (122). Service applications (143) that execute on the service node (116) include:

-   -   a control application (124), which is a module of computer         program instructions that loads launcher programs onto compute         nodes and administers error conditions detected on compute         nodes,     -   a scheduler (140), which is a module of computer program         instructions that schedules data processing jobs on the SIMD         machine, including installing SIMD programs on compute nodes and         passing MIMD jobs along to a MIMD dispatcher; and     -   a MIMD dispatcher (139), which is a module of computer program         instructions that installs MIMD programs on compute nodes when         the SIMD machine is booted in MIMD mode.

The service applications in this example are supported by a main job queue (141), a MIMD job programs table (142), and a MIMD job queue (138). The main job queue (141) is represented as table in this example with columns for a job identification code, a job type code, and a column specifying the number of compute nodes needed to execute a job. Each record in the main job queue (141) represents either a MIMD job or a SIMD job. Each SIMD job represents a single SIMD program that will run identically on each compute node (102) in the SIMD machine (100) when the SIMD machine is booted in SIMD mode. Each MIMD job represents one or more MIMD programs that will be executed on one or more compute nodes of the SIMD machine when the SIMD machine is booted in MIMD mode.

The main job queue (141) in this example is represented in a one-to-many data modeling relationship with the MIMD job programs table using the job identification code as a foreign key. Each SIMD job is implemented with a single SIMD program, but a MIMD job, requiring no strict parallelism, no collective operations, no parallel processing barriers, can be composed of any number of individual MIMD programs which may be executed asynchronously with respect to one another. So in this example, the MIMD job identified by job code “J1” is composed of three MIMD programs, “Prog1,” “Prog2,” and “Prog3.” Similarly, the MIMD job identified by job code “J2” is composed of four MIMD programs, “Prog4,” “Prog5,” “Prog6,” and “Prog7.”

The scheduler (140) only loads and executes SIMD jobs (146). The scheduler is optimized to load the same program onto each and every compute node of the SIMD machine, but loading a MIMD job requires loading multiple separate, individual programs onto separate compute nodes, a process for which the MIMD dispatcher is optimized. When the scheduler encounters a MIMD job in the main job queue, therefore, the scheduler hands that job off to the MIMD dispatcher, which then loads and executes the MIMD job (145). The scheduler (140) hands off MIMD jobs to the MIMD dispatcher (130) by registering the jobs in the MIMD job queue (138), represented here as a table with two columns, a job identification and a representation of the number of compute nodes needed for each MIMD job, where each record in the MIMD job queue represents a MIMD job to be dispatched for execution by the MIMD dispatcher (139). The MIMD dispatcher (139) dispatches MIMD jobs for execution by communicating the name of MIMD programs comprising a MIMD job to individual launcher programs running on individual compute nodes.

In the example of FIG. 6, there is no partitioning. When the SIMD machine (100) of FIG. 6 is booted in SIMD mode, the entire machine is booted in SIMD mode, and one SIMD program at a time will be run on all the compute nodes of the machine. When the SIMD machine (100) of FIG. 6 is booted in MIMD mode, the entire machine is booted in MIMD mode, and multiple MIMD programs can then be run on any of the compute nodes of the machine. Note what happens, however, as the scheduler (140) schedules the jobs presently in the main job queue (141). The SIMD machine (100) is booted in MIMD mode, and the scheduler (140) hands off jobs J1 and J2, which are MIMD jobs, to the MIMD dispatcher (139) through the MIMD job queue (138), and the MIMD dispatcher (139) dispatches the two MIMD jobs (145) for execution. The scheduler (140) then encounters the next job in the main job queue, J3, which is a SIMD job. Now to run the next two jobs, J3 and J4, both of which are SIMD jobs, the entire SIMD machine (100) must be rebooted in SIMD mode. Similarly, when more MIMD jobs are to be run, the entire SIMD machine must be again be rebooted in MIMD mode. And so on. The data processing architecture in the example of FIG. 6 is very powerful for applications that are mostly or entirely SIMD—or mostly or entirely MIMD. For applications that require a combination of MIMD and SIMD jobs, however, an architecture with more flexibility is indicated.

For further explanation, FIG. 7 sets forth a functional block diagram illustrating a further exemplary system for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention. Regarding the execution of a combination of MIMD jobs and SIMD jobs, the architecture represented by the example of FIG. 7 provides an advancement in flexibility. The system of FIG. 7 operates generally to execute MIMD programs (158) on a SIMD machine (100) according to embodiments of the present invention by establishing a SIMD partition (133) comprising a plurality of the compute nodes (102); booting the SIMD partition (133) in MIMD mode; executing by launcher programs (135) a plurality of MIMD programs (158) on two or more of the compute nodes (102) in the SIMD partition (133); and re-executing a launcher program (135) by an operating system on a compute node in the SIMD partition upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program. Booting the SIMD partition (133) in MIMD mode includes setting, in operating systems on the compute nodes of the SIMD partition, flags indicating MIMD operation; loading onto the compute nodes of the SIMD partition a launcher program; initializing with link training synchronous data communications among links of the network among compute nodes in the SIMD partition; initializing, with a parallel processing barrier, parallel operations among the compute nodes of the SIMD partition; and executing a launcher program on each compute node in the SIMD partition.

The compute nodes (102) are coupled for data communications by several independent data communications networks including a high speed Ethernet network (174), a Joint Test Action Group (‘JTAG’) network (104), a collective network (106) which is optimized for collective operations, a point-to-point network (108) which is optimized for point to point operations among compute nodes, and a barrier network (109) which is optimized for execution of parallel processing barriers. Each data communications network is implemented with data communications links among the compute nodes (102). The data communications links provide data communications for parallel operations among the compute nodes of the SIMD partition. Point-to-point network (108) is a synchronous data communications network that includes synchronous data communications links connected among the compute nodes so as to organize the compute nodes of the SIMD partition in a mesh or torus. Collective network (106) is a synchronous data communications network that includes synchronous data communications links connected among the compute nodes so as to organize the compute nodes of the SIMD partition in a tree structure.

The SIMD machine (100) includes a service node (116) coupled to the compute nodes through the JTAG network (104). Service node (116) provides services common to pluralities of compute nodes, loading programs into the compute nodes, starting program execution on the compute nodes, retrieving results of program operations on the computer nodes, and so on. Service node (116) runs service applications (143) and communicates with users (128) through a service application interface (126) that runs on computer terminal (122). Service applications (143) that execute on the service node (116) include:

-   -   a control application (124), which is a module of computer         program instructions that boots partitions, loads launcher         programs onto compute nodes in SIMD partitions booted in MIMD         mode, and administers error conditions detected on compute         nodes,     -   a scheduler (140), which is a module of computer program         instructions that schedules data processing jobs on the SIMD         machine, including installing SIMD programs on compute nodes and         passing MIMD jobs along to a MIMD dispatcher for execution on         SIMD partitions booted in MIMD mode; and     -   a MIMD dispatcher (139), which is a module of computer program         instructions that installs MIMD programs on compute nodes in         SIMD partitions booted in MIMD mode.

The service applications in this example are supported by a main job queue (141), a MIMD job programs table (142), and a MIMD job queue (138). The main job queue (141) is represented as table in this example with columns for a job identification code, a job type code, and a column specifying the number of compute nodes needed to execute a job. Each record in the main job queue (141) represents either a MIMD job or a SIMD job. Each SIMD job represents a single SIMD program that will run identically on each compute node (102) in a SIMD partition booted in SIMD mode. Each MIMD job represents one or more MIMD programs that will be executed on one or more compute nodes of a SIMD partition booted in MIMD mode.

The main job queue (141) in this example is represented in a one-to-many data modeling relationship with the MIMD job programs table (142) using the job identification code as a foreign key. Each SIMD job is implemented with a single SIMD program, but a MIMD job, requiring no strict parallelism, no collective operations, no parallel processing barriers, can be composed of any number of individual MIMD programs which may be executed asynchronously with respect to one another. So in this example, the MIMD job identified by job code “J1” is composed of three MIMD programs, “Prog1,” “Prog2,” and “Prog3.” Similarly, the MIMD job identified by job code “J2” is composed of four MIMD programs, “Prog4,” “Prog5,” “Prog6,” and “Prog7.”

The scheduler (140) only loads and executes SIMD jobs (146). The scheduler is optimized to load the same SIMD program onto each and every compute node of the SIMD machine, but loading a MIMD job requires loading multiple separate, individual programs onto separate compute nodes, a process for which the MIMD dispatcher is optimized. When the scheduler (140) encounters a MIMD job in the main job queue (141), therefore, the scheduler hands that job off to the MIMD dispatcher (139), which then loads and executes the MIMD job (145). The scheduler (140) hands off MIMD jobs to the MIMD dispatcher (130) by registering the jobs in the MIMD job queue (138), represented here as a table with two columns, a job identification and a representation of the number of compute nodes needed for each MIMD job, where each record in the MIMD job queue represents a MIMD job to be dispatched for execution by the MIMD dispatcher (139). The MIMD dispatcher (139) dispatches MIMD jobs for execution by communicating the name of MIMD programs comprising a MIMD job individual launcher programs running on individual compute nodes in a SIMD partition booted in MIMD mode (133).

In the example of FIG. 7, the SIMD machine supports partitioning, and each partition can be booted either in SIMD mode or in MIMD mode. When a SIMD partition (132) is booted in SIMD mode, the entire partition is booted in SIMD mode, and one SIMD program at a time will be run on all the compute nodes of the partition. When a SIMD partition (133) is booted in MIMD mode, the entire partition is booted in MIMD mode, and multiple MIMD programs can then be run on any of the compute nodes of the partition. A control application (124) according to embodiments of the present invention can establish on a SIMD machine a SIMD partition booted in MIMD mode, with a SIMD partition booted in SIMD mode running simultaneously with the SIMD partition booted in MIMD mode. On such a SIMD machine, multiple MIMD applications may be run simultaneously in one partition while SIMD applications are run in another partition, all on the same machine at the same time.

Note what happens in the example of FIG. 7 as the scheduler (140) schedules the jobs presently in the main job queue (141). One SIMD partition (133) is booted in MIMD mode, and the scheduler (140) hands off jobs J1 and J2, which are MIMD jobs, to the MIMD dispatcher (139) through the MIMD job queue (138), and the MIMD dispatcher (139) dispatches the two MIMD jobs (145) for execution in the SIMD partition (133) booted in MIMD mode. The scheduler (140) then encounters the next job in the main job queue, J3, which is a SIMD job. Now to run the next two jobs, J3 and J4, both of which are SIMD jobs, there is no need to reboot the entire SIMD machine. On the contrary, in this example, the scheduler (140) loads and executes J3 immediately on the SIMD partition (132) booted in SIMD mode, and, as soon as J3 terminates, the scheduler then promptly loads and executes J4 on the SIMD partition (132) booted in SIMD mode. J3 and J4 can both execute simultaneously with MIMD applications on the SIMD partition (133) booted in MIMD mode. Given a sufficient number of available compute nodes on the SIMD machine, the control application (124) can boot another SIMD partition in SIMD mode, and both J3 and J4 can be run at the same time. Similarly, given sufficient demand and sufficient availability of compute nodes, more than one SIMD partition can be booted in MIMD mode also.

For further explanation, FIG. 8 sets forth a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention. The method of FIG. 8 is carried out on a SIMD machine (100) similar to the SIMD machines described above. The SIMD machine includes a number of compute nodes (102), where each compute node is capable of executing only a single thread of execution. The compute nodes are initially configured exclusively for SIMD operations. The SIMD machine includes at least one data communications network (104, 106, 108, 109, 174 on FIG. 1) that includes synchronous data communications links among the compute nodes.

The method of FIG. 8 includes establishing (302) a SIMD partition (133) that includes a plurality of the compute nodes, with the compute nodes in the SIMD partition (133) electronically isolated from compute nodes in other partitions (132) of the SIMD machine (100). The compute nodes in the partition (133) are coupled to one another through links of a network (106 or 108 on FIG. 1) for synchronous data communications for parallel SIMD operations among the compute nodes in the SIMD partition.

The method of FIG. 8 also includes booting (304) the SIMD partition in MIMD mode. Booting (304) the SIMD partition in MIMD mode includes setting (306), in operating systems on the compute nodes of the SIMD partition, flags indicating MIMD operation. Such flags are Boolean data elements, and setting them means setting them to TRUE. Booting (304) the SIMD partition in MIMD mode also includes loading (307) onto the compute nodes of the SIMD partition a launcher program (135), one instance of the launcher program on each compute node in the SIMD partition (133).

Booting (304) the SIMD partition in MIMD mode also includes initializing (308) with link training synchronous data communications among links of the network among compute nodes in the SIMD partition. Link training is an initialization process for links in a high performance network that uses specific data packet types known as training sequences to enable each link to determine its link width, polarity, device presence, and also to detect problems in the link.

Booting (304) the SIMD partition in MIMD mode also includes initializing (310), with a parallel processing barrier, parallel operations among the compute nodes of the SIMD partition. A parallel processing barrier is a parallel processing function, typically implemented as a member of a message passing library such as MPI, that synchronizes operation of all processes executing in a SIMD partition. All processes in the partition contain a call to a barrier at a point in processing where all the processes need to be synchronized. Each process that calls the barrier function waits to continue processing until all of the processes in the partition have called the barrier function. It is not uncommon for high performance SIMD machines to implement barriers with special hardware support, as is the case for the SIMD machine described above with reference to FIG. 1. That SIMD machine has an independent data communication network (109) dedicated to the execution of barriers.

Booting (304) the SIMD partition in MIMD mode also includes executing (312) a launcher program on each compute node in the SIMD partition. The method of FIG. 6 also includes executing (314) by launcher programs (135) a plurality of MIMD programs (158) on two or more of the compute nodes in the SIMD partition. Each MIMD program autonomously executes different instructions on different data. Such execution of a MIMD program by a launcher program wipes out the launcher program, replacing the launcher program with the MIMD program in process address space in computer memory of a compute nodes. The method of FIG. 6 also includes re-executing (316) a launcher program by an operating system on a compute node in the SIMD partition upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program.

For further explanation, FIG. 9 sets forth a flow chart illustrating a further exemplary method for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention. The method of FIG. 9 is similar to the method of FIG. 8, including as it does establishing (302) a SIMD partition (133), booting (304) the SIMD partition in MIMD mode, executing (314) by launcher programs (135) MIMD programs (158) on compute nodes in the SIMD partition, and re-executing (316) a launcher program upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program, all of which function as described above. In the method of FIG. 9, however, loading (307) a launcher program includes loading (309) a launcher program by a control application (124 on FIG. 1) on a service node (116 on FIG. 1) through a service network such as a JTAG network (104 on FIG. 1) through input/output nodes (110, 114 on FIG. 1) through a collective network (106 on FIG. 1) into compute nodes (102) of the SIMD partition (133) booted in MIMD mode.

The method of claim 9 also includes communicating (320), by a MIMD dispatcher (139 on FIGS. 1 and 7) to a launcher program on a compute node in the SIMD partition booted (133) in MIMD mode, the name of a MIMD program to execute by the launcher. The launcher then uses the MIMD program name to retrieve the MIMD program through an i/o node (110 on FIG. 1) from a disk drive (118 on FIG. 1) and install the MIMD program in process address space in the RAM of a compute node. The name of the MIMD program may include a pathname helping to locate the MIMD program on disk.

The method of claim 9 also includes establishing (322) on the SIMD machine (100) a SIMD partition (132) booted in SIMD mode, with the SIMD partition booted in SIMD mode running simultaneously with the SIMD partition (133) booted in MIMD mode.

For further explanation, FIG. 10 sets forth a flow chart illustrating a further exemplary method for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine according to embodiments of the present invention. The method of FIG. 10 is similar to the method of FIG. 8, including as it does establishing (302) a SIMD partition (133), booting (304) the SIMD partition in MIMD mode, executing (314) by launcher programs (135) MIMD programs (158) on compute nodes in the SIMD partition, and re-executing (316) a launcher program upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program, all of which function as described above. The method of FIG. 10, however, also includes detecting (322) by a compute node (102) a processing error. This can be any processing error, a memory fault, a cache fault, a processor fault, and so on, as will occur to those of skill in the art. The method of FIG. 10 also includes communicating (324) by the compute node through a service network to a control application on a service node the existence of the processing error. The service network can a JTAG network (104 on FIG. 1), for example. The method of FIG. 10 also includes booting (326), by the control application without affecting operations of other compute nodes, the compute node in MIMD mode. This boot is in effect an error recovery technique. In the method of FIG. 10, booting (326) the compute node in MIMD mode includes:

-   -   setting (328), in an operating system on the compute node, a         flag (136 on FIG. 2) indicating MIMD operation;     -   setting (330), in an operating system on the compute node, a         flag (137 on FIG. 2) indicating that the current boot of the         compute node is a reboot; and     -   loading and executing (332) a launcher program on the compute         node.

In the method of FIG. 10, booting (326) the compute node in MIMD mode omits (334) the initializing of synchronous data communications on the network with link training and the initializing of parallel operations among the compute nodes with a parallel processing barrier. Link training and initialization with parallel processing barriers are processes included in an initial boot of a SIMD partition because of the underlying SIMD architecture. Link training and initialization with parallel processing barriers are not needed for a reboot of an individual compute node, however, in a SIMD partition booted in MIMD mode, because link training and initialization with parallel processing barriers for the underlying SIMD architecture have already been performed. It is the set reboot flag (137 on FIG. 2) that advises the operating system in the compute node to omit the link training and initialization with parallel processing barriers.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described largely in the context of a fully functional computer system for executing MIMD programs on a SIMD machine. Readers of skill in the art will recognize, however, that the present invention also may be embodied in a computer program product disposed on computer readable, signal bearing media for use with any suitable data processing system. Such signal bearing media may be transmission media or recordable media for machine-readable information, including magnetic media, optical media, or other suitable media. Examples of recordable media include magnetic disks in hard drives or diskettes, compact disks for optical drives, magnetic tape, and others as will occur to those of skill in the art. Examples of transmission media include telephone networks for voice communications and digital data communications networks such as, for example, Ethernets™ and networks that communicate with the Internet Protocol and the World Wide Web.

Persons skilled in the art will immediately recognize that any computer system having suitable programming means will be capable of executing the steps of the method of the invention as embodied in a program product. Persons skilled in the art will recognize immediately that, although some of the exemplary embodiments described in this specification are oriented to software installed and executing on computer hardware, nevertheless, alternative embodiments implemented as firmware or as hardware are well within the scope of the present invention.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that modifications and changes may be made in various embodiments of the present invention without departing from its true spirit. The descriptions in this specification are for purposes of illustration only and are not to be construed in a limiting sense. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the language of the following claims. 

1. A method of executing Multiple Instructions Multiple Data (‘MIMD’) programs on a Single Instruction Multiple Data (‘SIMD’) machine, the SIMD machine comprising a plurality of compute nodes, each compute node capable of executing only a single thread of execution, the plurality of compute nodes initially configured exclusively for SIMD operations, the SIMD machine further comprising a data communications network, the data communications network comprising synchronous data communications links among the plurality of compute nodes, the method comprising: establishing a SIMD partition comprising a plurality of the compute nodes, the plurality of compute nodes in the SIMD partition electronically isolated from compute nodes in other partitions of the SIMD machine and coupled to one another through links of the data communications network for synchronous data communications for parallel SIMD operations among the plurality of compute nodes in the SIMD partition; booting the SIMD partition in MIMD mode, including: setting, in operating systems on the plurality of compute nodes of the SIMD partition, flags indicating MIMD operation; loading onto the compute nodes of the SIMD partition a launcher program; initializing with link training synchronous data communications among links of the data communications network among plurality of compute nodes in the SIMD partition; initializing, with a parallel processing barrier, parallel operations among the plurality of compute nodes of the SIMD partition, and executing a launcher program on each compute node in the SIMD partition; executing by one or more launcher programs a plurality of MIMD programs on two or more of the plurality of compute nodes in the SIMD partition, including replacing the launcher programs with the plurality of MIMD programs in process address space in computer memory of the plurality of compute nodes, each MIMD program autonomously executing different instructions on different data; re-executing a launcher program by an operating system on a compute node in the SIMD partition upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program; detecting by a compute node a processing error; communicating by the compute node through a service network to a control application on a service node an existence of the processing error; and booting, by the control application without affecting operations of other compute nodes, the compute node in MIMD mode, the booting including: setting, in an operating system on the compute node, a flag indicating MIMD operation; setting, in an operating system on the compute node, a flag indicating that a current boot of the compute node is a reboot; loading and executing a launcher program on the compute node; and omitting the initializing of synchronous data communications on the data communications network with link training and the initializing of parallel operations among the plurality of compute nodes with a parallel processing barrier.
 2. Apparatus for executing Multiple Instructions Multiple Data (‘MIMD’) programs on a Single Instruction Multiple Data (‘SIMD’) machine, the SIMD machine comprising a plurality of compute nodes, each compute node capable of executing only a single thread of execution, the plurality of compute nodes initially configured exclusively for SIMD operations, the SIMD machine further comprising a data communications network, the data communications network comprising synchronous data communications links among the plurality of compute nodes, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of: establishing a SIMD partition comprising a plurality of the compute nodes, the plurality of compute nodes in the SIMD partition electronically isolated from compute nodes in other partitions of the SIMD machine and coupled to one another through links of the data communications network for synchronous data communications for parallel SIMD operations among the plurality of compute nodes in the SIMD partition; booting the SIMD partition in MIMD mode, including: setting, in operating systems on the plurality of compute nodes of the SIMD partition, flags indicating MIMD operation; loading onto the plurality of compute nodes of the SIMD partition a launcher program; initializing with link training synchronous data communications among links of the data communications network among plurality of compute nodes in the SIMD partition; initializing, with a parallel processing barrier, parallel operations among the plurality of compute nodes of the SIMD partition, and executing a launcher program on each compute node in the SIMD partition; executing by one or more launcher programs a plurality of MIMD programs on two or more of the plurality of compute nodes in the SIMD partition, including replacing the launcher programs with the plurality of MIMD programs in process address space in computer memory of the plurality of compute nodes, each MIMD program autonomously executing different instructions on different data; re-executing a launcher program by an operating system on a compute node in the SIMD partition upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program; detecting by a compute node a processing error; communicating by the compute node through a service network to a control application on a service node an existence of the processing error; and booting, by the control application without affecting operations of other compute nodes, the compute node in MIMD mode, the booting including: setting, in an operating system on the compute node, a flag indicating MIMD operation; setting, in an operating system on the compute node, a flag indicating that a current boot of the compute node is a reboot; loading and executing a launcher program on the compute node; and omitting the initializing of synchronous data communications on the data communications network with link training and the initializing of parallel operations among the plurality of compute nodes with a parallel processing barrier.
 3. A computer program product for executing Multiple Instructions Multiple Data (‘MIMD’) programs on a Single Instruction Multiple Data (‘SIMD’) machine, the SIMD machine comprising a plurality of compute nodes, each compute node capable of executing only a single thread of execution, the plurality of compute nodes initially configured exclusively for SIMD operations, the SIMD machine further comprising a data communications network, the data communications network comprising synchronous data communications links among the plurality of compute nodes, the computer program product disposed in a computer readable recordable storage medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of: establishing a SIMD partition comprising a plurality of the compute nodes, the plurality of compute nodes in the SIMD partition electronically isolated from compute nodes in other partitions of the SIMD machine and coupled to one another through links of the data communications network for synchronous data communications for parallel SIMD operations among the plurality of compute nodes in the SIMD partition; booting the SIMD partition in MIMD mode, including: setting, in operating systems on the plurality of compute nodes of the SIMD partition, flags indicating MIMD operation; loading onto the plurality of compute nodes of the SIMD partition a launcher program; initializing with link training synchronous data communications among links of the data communications network among compute nodes in the SIMD partition; initializing, with a parallel processing barrier, parallel operations among the plurality of compute nodes of the SIMD partition, and executing a launcher program on each compute node in the SIMD partition; executing by one or more launcher programs a plurality of MIMD programs on two or more of the plurality of compute nodes in the SIMD partition, including replacing the launcher programs with the plurality of MIMD programs in process address space in computer memory of the plurality of compute nodes, each MIMD program autonomously executing different instructions on different data; re-executing a launcher program by an operating system on a compute node in the SIMD partition upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program; detecting by a compute node a processing error; communicating by the compute node through a service network to a control application on a service node an existence of the processing error; and booting, by the control application without affecting operations of other compute nodes, the compute node in MIMD mode, the booting including: setting, in an operating system on the compute node, a flag indicating MIMD operation; setting, in an operating system on the compute node, a flag indicating that a current boot of the compute node is a reboot; loading and executing a launcher program on the compute node; and omitting the initializing of synchronous data communications on the data communications network with link training and the initializing of parallel operations among the plurality of compute nodes with a parallel processing barrier.
 4. A method of executing Multiple Instructions Multiple Data (‘MIMD’) programs on a Single Instruction Multiple Data (‘SIMD’) machine, the SIMD machine comprising a plurality of compute nodes, each compute node capable of executing only a single thread of execution, the plurality of compute nodes initially configured exclusively for SIMD operations, the SIMD machine further comprising a data communications network, the data communications network comprising synchronous data communications links among the plurality of compute nodes, the method comprising: booting the SIMD machine in MIMD mode, including: setting, in operating systems on the plurality of compute nodes, flags indicating MIMD operation; loading onto the plurality of compute nodes a launcher program; initializing, with link training, synchronous data communications among links of the data communications network among compute nodes in a SIMD partition; initializing, with a parallel processing barrier, parallel operations among the plurality of compute nodes; and executing a launcher program on each compute node; executing by one or more launcher programs a plurality of MIMD programs on two or more of the plurality of compute nodes, including replacing the launcher programs with the plurality of MIMD programs in process address space in computer memory of the plurality of compute nodes, each MIMD program autonomously executing different instructions on different data; re-executing a launcher program by an operating system upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program; detecting by a compute node a processing error; communicating by the compute node through a service (JTAG) network to a service application on a service node an existence of the processing error; and booting the compute node in MIMD mode, including setting in an operating system on the compute node a flag indicating MIMD operation, further including setting in an operating system on the compute node a flag indicating that a current boot of the compute node is a reboot, further including loading a launcher program on the compute node, omitting the initializing of synchronous data communications on the data communications network with link training, and omitting the initializing of parallel operations among the plurality of compute nodes with a parallel processing barrier, the booting implemented without affecting operations of other compute nodes.
 5. Apparatus for executing Multiple Instructions Multiple Data (‘MIMD’) programs on a Single Instruction Multiple Data (‘SIMD’) machine, the SIMD machine comprising a plurality of compute nodes, each compute node capable of executing only a single thread of execution, the plurality of compute nodes initially configured exclusively for SIMD operations, the SIMD machine further comprising a data communications network, the data communications network comprising synchronous data communications links among the plurality of compute nodes, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of: booting the SIMD machine in MIMD mode, including: setting, in operating systems on the plurality of compute nodes, flags indicating MIMD operation; loading onto the plurality of compute nodes a launcher program; initializing, with link training, synchronous data communications among links of the data communications network among compute nodes in a SIMD partition; initializing, with a parallel processing barrier, parallel operations among the compute nodes; and executing a launcher program on each plurality of compute node; executing by one or more launcher programs a plurality of MIMD programs on two or more of the compute nodes, including replacing the launcher programs with the plurality of MIMD programs in process address space in computer memory of the plurality of compute nodes, each MIMD program autonomously executing different instructions on different data; re-executing a launcher program by an operating system upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program; detecting by a compute node a processing error; communicating by the compute node through a service (JTAG) network to a service application on a service node an existence of the processing error; and booting the compute node in MIMD mode, including setting in an operating system on the compute node a flag indicating MIMD operation, further including setting in an operating system on the compute node a flag indicating that a current boot of the compute node is a reboot, further including loading a launcher program on the compute node, omitting the initializing of synchronous data communications on the data communications network with link training, and omitting the initializing of parallel operations among the plurality of compute nodes with a parallel processing barrier, the booting implemented without affecting operations of other compute nodes.
 6. A computer program product for executing Multiple Instructions Multiple Data (‘MIMD’) programs on a Single Instruction Multiple Data (‘SIMD’) machine, the SIMD machine comprising a plurality of compute nodes, each compute node capable of executing only a single thread of execution, the plurality of compute nodes initially configured exclusively for SIMD operations, the SIMD machine further comprising a data communications network, the data communications network comprising synchronous data communications links among the plurality of compute nodes, the computer program product disposed in a computer readable recordable storage medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of: booting the SIMD machine in MIMD mode, including: setting, in operating systems on the plurality of compute nodes, flags indicating MIMD operation; loading onto the plurality of compute nodes a launcher program; initializing, with link training, synchronous data communications among links of the data communications network among compute nodes in a SIMD partition; initializing, with a parallel processing barrier, parallel operations among the plurality of compute nodes; and executing a launcher program on each compute node; executing by one or more launcher programs a plurality of MIMD programs on two or more of the plurality of compute nodes, including replacing the launcher programs with the plurality of MIMD programs in process address space in computer memory of the plurality of compute nodes, each MIMD program autonomously executing different instructions on different data; re-executing a launcher program by an operating system upon termination of the MIMD program executed by the launcher program; detecting by a compute node a processing error; communicating by the compute node through a service (JTAG) network to a service application on a service node an existence of the processing error; and booting the compute node in MIMD mode, including setting in an operating system on the compute node a flag indicating MIMD operation, further including setting in an operating system on the compute node a flag indicating that a current boot of the compute node is a reboot, further including loading a launcher program on the compute node, omitting the initializing of synchronous data communications on the data communications network with link training, and omitting the initializing of parallel operations among the plurality of compute nodes with a parallel processing barrier, the booting implemented without affecting operations of other compute nodes. 